Twenty-six questions into day one of questioning, senators have largely directed inquiries to their own sides, assisting respective legal teams in poking holes in the opposition's case.
During the first break of the day, nearly three hours after questioning began, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) told Cheddar she plans to ask a question about absolute immunity. The president has argued he has absolute immunity to bar testimony, though a federal judge ruled in November that former White House counsel Don McGahn must obey a subpoena compelling him to testify. The judge wrote at the time "with respect to senior-level presidential aides, absolute immunity from compelled congressional process simply does not exist."
The president's defense team has repeatedly sought to portray the president as needing the freedom to speak candidly with his advisors. However, House Managers have emphasized the president is not able to exercise blanket immunity.
"Some of the questions were planned ahead, but you can always adjust them," Klobuchar said. "I have one question that I want to focus on, on the absolute immunity issue, but if it's fully asked, maybe I'll switch to another one. You're not bound into what your question is. And then there's other questions that I have — you'll see that Senator Whitehouse is going to ask one of them. He and I shared the same question so he's asking on his behalf and my behalf."
Throughout the first portion of today's session, some senators appeared to have pre-written questions on cards while others, like Senators Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) exited the room to presumably discuss a question before posing one jointly. Others still, like Senators Martha McSally (R-Ariz.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.) seemed to have empty cards on their desks.
Senators must submit written questions to the Chief Justice and, alternating between parties, a Senator stands, asks Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts to hear his or her question, and a high school page carries the card to Roberts, who is facing the Senators from the elevated seat usually reserved for the Vice President. At one point Roberts paused while attempting to read a question from Republicans, as it seemed he was having trouble reading the hand-written question.
The Senate Press Gallery sits above the Republican side of the chamber, which allows better access to see the Republican Senators than the Democrat officials.
Alan Dershowitz, an attorney for the defense who came to today's session to answer questions about his testimony earlier this week, said anything a sitting president does to stay in power is in the national interest, emphasizing a very expansive view of presidential power. Lead House Manager and chairman of the House Intelligence Committee Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif 28th District) answered the final question of the early session pushing back against Dershowitz's argument and attempted to portray the president as believing himself to wield broad powers, accusing Trump of being a "president who identifies the state as being himself."
Florida lawmakers have introduced a controversial bill restricting some discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in classrooms with young students. Supporters say the move empowers parents to have more of a say in what their children learn. Florida State Senator Shevrin Jones joins Cheddar News to discuss more.
Congress this week passed a bill that would end forced arbitration for workplace sexual assault and harassment, one of the most significant changes to employment law in years. Cheddar News speaks with Marjorie Mesidor, Sexual Harassment Attorney, who explains that arbitrators are often retired judges or attorneys who "tends to have a more conservative view both to law and rewards."
As the situation with Russia has grown more precarious, the White House urged Americans remaining in Ukraine to leave immediately. The Biden administration that it sees continuing signs of escalation but did not have specific information detailing a timetable for a potential invasion. Kristine Berzina, senior fellow and head of the geopolitics team at the Alliance for Securing Democracy, joined Cheddar News to provide her analysis. "There's talk of an impending phone call between President Putin, President Biden," Berzina said. "That is certainly a good sign to indicate that there would be significant cost."
Terrell Starr, host of 'Black Diplomats' podcast and senior nonresident fellow at the Eurasia Center for Atlantic Council, joins Cheddar News from Kyiv, Ukraine to discuss the mounting tension there.
The White House laid out plans for a $5 billion investment into a national network of charging stations to ease EV driving anxiety. Bruce Brimacombe, CEO of EV infrastructure GOe3 joined Cheddar News to discuss how much needs to be done for drivers to get over the fear of running out of energy. "People need to be able to do what they're doing now," he said. "But that is the way that if you're going to buy an electric car, you got to feel like you're not changing your world." Brimacombe noted that building out the infrastructure between cities was GOe3's own focus.
U.S. automakers are saying that the blockade of the Ambassador Bridge, a crucial border crossing between the U.S. and Canada, is affecting their production lines. Michelle Krebs of Cox Automotive warns that the disruption "couldn't come at a worst time," amid chip and labor shortages in Detroit.
AND DETROIT-BASED AUTO MAKERS SAY THEY ARE SHUTTING DOWN PLANTS OR SCALING BACK PRODUCTION BECAUSE OF PARTS SHORTAGES.
Plans to add affordable housing to a development in Yellow Springs, Ohio, were squashed after comedian Dave Chappelle and other community members spoke out against the project. Chappelle threatened to pull the plug on his local comedy club and restaurant projects if the development had been approved.
David Tafuri, Former Obama Campaign Foreign Policy Advisor & Former State Department Official, joined Cheddar News to break down the latest geopolitical stories from Beijing, amid China's human rights abuses against Uyghur Muslims and yet another Russian doping scandal.
Dr. Jennifer Haythe of Columbia University's Irving Medical Center, joined Wake Up With Cheddar to discuss the latest with the pandemic, as the debate over child safety rages amid low vaccination rates and states easing school mask mandates.
